The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-09
PRESIDENT D. ?. HIDDEN,
CAPT. JAMES LEE, JR., AND COL.
II. A. MONTGOMERY,
Gen. Patterson aud Mr.. Thomas j.
Graham in Favor Of the City
Owning Its Mater Works

The question thst most naturally
absorb the attention of the cit'z ns OF
Memphis just now is. "WhSt viii be
done about the water WORKS and who
will own them2" Realizing that the
individual opinions or views of the
member OF the Couucil, to whom, 10
this instance, the people contidingly
rely for deiverance, would be OF I'M
usual interest to our readers, q repte-
sentative OF the APPRAL visited each oil
them yesterday and obtained the fol-
| lowing views:
The frat one 10 come under the
ordeal was
GEN. PATTERSON,
to whom the following questions were
directed:
General, at the meeting Of the
Council on ThuIsday nothing was said
for or against about the offer OF the
Bullock or the b ston company.
The APPEAL would like TO have YOUR
opinion or ideas about them. Were
you in earnest when you voted for the
adoption of the report of the Commit
tee of Ten, which was tantamount to
voting for the city to build water
works, or were you simply voting for
blind to mske negotiations with
either the Bullock or Boston parties
easy2"
"rhe CITY Council unanimously in.
dorsed the report Of the Citizens
Committee iavoring the ownerthip I
the water works by the city, aleo it's
recommendation that the water be
taken from the Wolf river above the
Louisville and Nashville railrosd
bridge, looking ultimately to going to
the head waters of that river for its
supply, where the DIR image into IL can
be controlled and the purest water
possible obtained. l have not heard
any member OF the Council express
different sentiments since that
vote was had. The only other
definite action of the Coun-
Gil was to Instruct the Dl tict
Attorney to prepare the necessary leg
isation to authorize the Council to
carry out this plan, ard the proper
bills we're prepared and are now before
the Stats legislature. Personally, l
still favor these views, but when the
question is presented as 10 how these
propositions are TO be accomplished,
there may be a difference Of opinion
in the Council, and until the ps cessa airy
legislation is secured 30 tn At 1t may be
prepared to act the proper place for 1t
is on the fence, as stated by the Ava
ldnche, so to take advaD tage Of all bids
and secure the desired object at The
lowest cost possible"
General, you are not willing +,
make q contract with Mr.. Bullock to
supply Memphis with water, but to
build water works, for which the city
is to own and manager"
mo, Ibelieye the city sbou Id own
and manage its water works."
JOHN K. RANDALL
was visited at his office on Second
street and in reply to very near the
same question put TO Gen. Patterson
said:
81, of course, have my views, but
had rather not give them"
"But, Colonel, you voted for the
adoption Of committees report, and
your constituents would like to know
whether or not your views are the
same as then"
"Yes, that's all right, but we are
not in a condition to jump to conclu'
sions, or to leap before we look. | am
particularly averss to making mistakeer
and when the time comes Will have
plenty to say"
THOMAS J. GRAHAM,
Mr.. Graham was found at his p'ac
Of bus'ness on Front street, who n.
piled to the same questions that had
been put 10 the other gentlemen.
81 voted for the adoption OF the re-
port in perfect good faith. and there
is no doubt in my mind concerning
the ownership OF the same. believe
the city ought tn own them"
| "When Mr.. BullocS appeared bsiore
the Council lat Thur dav, ter bav'
| ing voted as you did for the adoption
| of the committees report, wha. die
| You think OF II and understand his on
iect was in coming before thai bodyY
"I dill not know what Mr.. Bulloch
| had to offer other than what bad al
| ready been made. But underStant
that he wanted to amend his PROPOSE
ton to conform with the view
| of the Committee OF Ten. TIT
only fear in my mind is tba
possibly we might make q mistake.
believe that il will take fully ,0Ol
more to rect the works than the com
mittee's report claims, aud II woul'
bs exceedingly unfortunate for Mem
phis, after having waded through thu
marshes OF despond and baDktuptc.
and landing safely high and dry OF
the shoals Of prosperity to be hurled
back again into the same predicament
l believe it is the Councils duty Z
fairly and impartially cons der all bid
that come before it, and take sdvan
| tage OF the same, being very decree
about tbs selling or giving way oil val
| liable franchises l."
| MR.. CHARLES KNKY,
| In answer to the leading question
said: 81 am not in favor OF either tn
| Boston or Bullock parties having any
thing TO do with the subject, and l d.
not believe it would be good polio
for the city 10 own tho works. W
have last about as much as we car
handle now, and IL we cucumber oul
selves with more there is POSSIBILITY
OF the result bsing embarrassing.
am 10 favor OF egislatrg to make tn
| old company give good service. Tn
| can be done and seems to me to be th
| most pract C Al solution Of the matter
| / was not in a attendance at the meetln
| of the Council when they adopted tn
| report OF the Committee Of Ten"
| CAPT. JAMES LEE, JR.,
| was found at President Hidden
| Office, Just getting ready to depa
when the question was hurled at hin
| Capt. Lee replied by saying:
| Il really have not the time to Civ
i .rnr, rrnu idaaa In fnll ahnnL tine matte